Bison Forum

Built in the 1930s CEFCU, home of San Jose state Spartans, has kept pace with the times. Current capacity is reported to be about 18-21,000 Seats were removed to widen the field for soccer and build the Spartan Athletic Center.

The 70 million east-side Spartan Athletic Center (not sure if it’s shown) was completed in August 2023. the 55,000 square-foot, multi-story facility houses a new football operations center, locker rooms, offices, meeting and training rooms and a sports medicine center. The facility also includes soccer team offices and locker rooms, as well as dining and hospitality facilities, event spaces and premium viewing areas.

The FFD would have held its own against CEFCU had the upgrades been approved. As is not so much.
Here’s how it looked in the past

Maverick Stadium, built at the current location in 1968, seats 25,513. It’s been regularly updated, most recently In 2014.

Wikipedia

On the west side of the stadium, a new four-story premium seating and press box structure was built to include a state-of-the-art media and game operations area, 24 luxury suites, 24 loge boxes, over 700 covered club seats and a premium club area that also hosts a student-athlete training table.

Major concourse work included significantly increased restrooms, upgraded concessions, and an enlarged concourse for better pedestrian traffic flow. Improvements on the east included additional seating and restroom facilities.

The renovation also saw new video boards added to both ends of the stadium, along with a new public address system. These renovations were debuted for the home opener against Weber State on September 1, 2016. Additional expansion of Maverik Stadium's seating capacity is also planned for the future.

2017
With the improvements the FFD would still be about 30% smaller but competitive with all fan amenities

At this point the FFD is measuring up pretty well. It is smaller and could use a facelift. The size issue is basically incurable but some mitigation is possible. The fan amenities are absolutely curable. The recently defeated bond issue would have done the job. The defeat of that bond issue may have been why the MWC turned to NIU.

Over at the Big Mountain YouTube channel they are gushing over Tarleton “State?” as the next MWC expansion school in 2026. They may be in Texas, the favored location for expansion, but how many more TX schools do they need? The only low hanging fruit left is the Dakotas, Montana and Idaho. NDSU can deliver a very good FBS audience from those markets. With NIU added NDSU is in the footprint too.

If stadiums are the issue the FFD is competitive with Tarleton. It’s better with the improvements. I’m not sure what they have planned though. They are very excited down there. Talking football powerhouse, FBS and money to grow. The MWC seems interested too

Our big expansion rival is Tarleton “State”. Their home field Memorial Stadium was Originally built in 1951. In 2017 they completed a $26 mil upgrade. Seating is now 24,000, 30% larger than the FFD. A new video board and lighting system were Also added.

They are getting new turf now

Tarleton State Replacing Football Field
January 17, 2025 by Fear The FCS


https://fearthefcs.com/2025/01/17/tarle ... all-field/

Renovated Memorial Stadium
NDSU should schedule them. This was mentioned in the January article:

Tarleton State’s entire schedule is not known for the 2025 season but they currently have one home game slated for September 20 against Chattanooga (Southern). Tarleton State is 35-20 overall since joining the FCS in 2020 and will look to build upon the program’s early success in Division I.

It would be a good road game. They were competitive with the Yotes in the playoffs.

One thing that keeps showing up in the comparison of the FFD to the smaller MWC stadiums is the 30%-50%~ smaller FFD capacity. Stadium size may be more significant than first thought?

X VERSION:
The Research shows the Fabulous Fargo Dome is fine. For the FBS CUSA sets the bottom capacity at 14,000. Other conferences say 17,000 for a minimum. Either way the FFD is 18,700, more than FBS adequate with upgrade potential. It’s also becoming clear an FBS future would be best served with a new FBS/all sports conference in Idaho, Montana and the Dakotas..


FULL TEXT:
MAC is looking at expansion. One big deal: no central time zone team. Of interest are several existing FBS programs including CUSA teams. As time goes on and programs and facilities improve, CUSA becomes a fertile expansion ground. They are

• Central Time Zone

• existing FBS programs

• committed to the future

One way or another the MAC will first try to fill with existing FBS schools.

The MAC might look to the FCS. I’ve seen NDSU/SDSU mentioned as Football only candidates. MAC Bylaws forbid football only. They need a bylaw change or go all sports.

footprint issues favor other MVFC schools: UNI and SIU get attention. To my knowledge Neither has made any serious overtures for the MAC or FBS. UNI seems unlikely with BB set in the MVC and only 16,700 capacity in the dome. Other top FCS mentions have been Drake and Murray State.

Is NDSU is committed to an FBS future? budgetary issues program success, particularly football and great footprint favor the status quo. The much anticipated major reorganization (2030 ?) could be holding them back too.

the first move in this anticipated split appeared to be revenue sharing. The 20 million dollar payrolls, revenues and athletic budget to match will be in the top tier

The second tier will form around existing conferences/schools at the MAC, MWC, CUSA level. The rest will essentially be the existing FCS schools. That’s NDSU home if there is no place for them in the second tier. The MAC would get them in but it’s not ideal.

A second tier conference could be formed filling The void in the FBS map. A combination of the Idaho, Montana and Dakota schools would be the best configuration rivaling the CUSA and MAC immediately with the MWC in its sights. This would benefit the FBS by

• providing a valuable region-wide FBS market

• group like minded schools, similar traditions and budgets

• lots of common history

• up grade competition and fan interest

• allow the schools a chance to monetize existing markets at the higher level of competition.

If FBS is to be I think this seems the most likely outcome

From Feb this year

Making sense of FCS conference realignment

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/arti ... ealignment

Interesting. Lots going on in the FCS. Nothing particular about the Bison.